Author: FLORENCE MUGARULA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Dar es Salaam- Morogoro stretch of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) will be fully connected from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro in one week from now, it has been confirmed.
This means that Tanzania is soon expected to write a new history as the first nation in East African region to run an electric train.
Speaking on Friday during a tour of the project in Coast Region, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Sports, Arts and Culture, Dr Hassan Abbasi said engineers are currently connecting all parts from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro.
“We are now connecting all parts, and in one week, an electric train will be able to move from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro,” he said.
According to Dr Abbasi, so far the project has reached an advanced stage, and that the government is optimistic to complete it in the agreed time. He said upon the completion of the project,
Tanzania will be among few African countries that have managed to construct and a modern electric train.
“Soon Tanzania will be in the list of countries with a modern electric train. This is a milestone in changing wananchi’s lives,” he noted.
Dr Abbasi, who is also the Chief Government Spokesman said the fifth phase government is setting up investments that are set to change people’s lives by creating a good environment of doing businesses and improving people’s lives.
“The government is investing on issues that are basically designed to bring both social and economic changes,” he said.
Earlier, the Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) Managing Director, Eng Masanja Kadogosa told reporters that the construction from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro has reached 95 per cent.
He said so far the over 7trl/- project is going on well as planned, and that it will be completed on time. The tour started from the main station in Dar es Salaam to Ruvu Station in Coast Region.
Eng Kadogosa said the main three-storey Dar es Salaam station building is designed to serve 3000 passengers at once.
In May this year, the government said it was finalising procurement of two locomotives, eight compartments and wagons that will ply the Dar es Salaam- Morogoro section of the Standard Gauge Railway line (SGR).
